


Rites and Responsibilities

by Chess_Blackfyre



Series: A Yellow Rose [3]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Formerly Tranquil Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Gen, Paperwork, The Gallows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24869797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chess_Blackfyre/pseuds/Chess_Blackfyre
Summary: The last time Cullen saw the Knight-Commander’s assistant was about only a few days before everything went to hell. It was actually a startlingly normal day.
Series: A Yellow Rose [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795546
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Rites and Responsibilities

Elsa was not surprised to see the Knight-Captain at the weekly briefing instead of the Knight-Commander. One, because this was a budgeting and resource allocation meeting, the kind of ‘drudgery’ that, while necessary in order to keep track of the large number of supplies needed to feed and clothe the hundreds of people who lived within the Gallows’ walls, was one that Meredith had been increasingly leaving to her second in command.

Two: Elsa was Tranquil. Nothing surprised her anymore. (Or made her angry. Or sad. Or scared. Or anything else)

“Knight-Captain,” she greeted.

* * *

Cullen nodded along as the Tranquil mage explained the requisitions from the different magi for research, experimentation, or just daily hygiene such as soap and brushes. It was a dreadfully dull subject, not helped by the lack of tone or inflection in the assistant’s voice.

“Why exactly are we having problems getting the necessary funds from the city budget?”

“Seneschal Bran stated that we did not have the proper forms filled out.”

“The proper—? Ugh. Fine. I’ll handle it.” In the aftermath of the Viscount’s death, the lack of a clear successor meant the government of Kirkwall was in the hands of the bureaucracy. The prospect of facing down the complicated mess of red tape and proper paperwork filled him with more dread than that of demons or blood mages. Those at least, could be dealt with a sword.

A weary sigh escaped the Knight-Captain. He had joined the Templars to try and protect people, not do Meredith’s busywork. No, no use complaining about it. As Knight Captain, it was his responsibility to assist the needs of his superior officer as needed. Even if that was dealing with the worms found in their food stores. Apparently the Gallow’s entire cabbage supply was now entirely inedible.

“Oh dear, now we’ll have to skip cabbage stew night,” he deadpanned. No answering chuckle or acknowledgment, and Cullen remembers his audience. He cleared his throat. “Maybe they’ll make mutton instead?”

“For the Templars, perhaps. The Knight-Commander has banned all mages from having sharp knives of any kind, and most meats are quite difficult to eat without them.”

“Oh, right.”

Elsa flipped a page on her clipboard. “On a related note, Enchanter Bethany Hawke has stated that if haircuts are no longer allowed, then the quote ‘common decency’ of bandanas or hair ties should be provided.” Oh right, Meredith banned the mages from having any scissors either.

“Why not hairpins?” He still remembered his mother’s frustrated grunts at trying to tame his sister’s mess of curls. Pins, if he remembered correctly, had done the best job.

“The Knight Commander has banned those as well, as they could potentially be used to pick locks.” A decision that had even extended to Meredith’s own assistant, the Tranquil’s own dark gold hair not pulled back in its usual plaits. Cullen resisted the urge to roll his eyes. All locks in the Gallows were of much to sturdy design to be broken by simple hairpins. If anything Meredith was just asserting her authority, trying to remind the mages who was in charge. As usual, the First Enchanter just had more ammunition for their shouting matches. Cullen was honestly on Orsino’s side on this one, not that the Knight-Captain would ever say it.

“Tell the Enchanter that it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s probably room in the budget for…” another sigh, “hair ties.”

“I will fill out the proper paperwork.”

* * *

Three days later, the Chantry exploded, and everything descends into violence and anarchy. He thought he saw Elsa at one point, but there were too much chaos and confusion to really tell, and there were much more important things demanding his attention.

As he never sees her afterward, Cullen vaguely assumes she was among one of the many casualties--with no magic to guard her and violence all around it would have been all too easy for her to be killed by either side. The thought saddens him, but does not linger.

* * *

Cullen’s brow furrowed. “Elsa?”

Her hair was longer, but she was wearing the same dark Chantry robes and had the same sunburst sigil scarred onto her forehead. The only real difference was the glowing green mark on her hand. The one that, if the apostate elf was to be believed, connected her to the Breach.

“You know her?” Seeker Pentaghast crosses her arms.

“She is from Kirkwall and was the Knight-Commander’s assistant. When the fighting broke out, I assumed she had been killed.”

The Seeker glared at the woman in the cell. “Someone must have saved her then, an accomplice?”

He shrugged, unable to recall anyone at the Circle she seemed to be close with. “If the Conclave was destroyed by some sort of series of explosive runes, she could have made them.”

“Could she have agreed to do such a thing?”

“She is Tranquil,” Leliana reminds, as the unconscious woman writhes in pain. “I doubt the idea was her own. She may have just been used, rather than an active participant.”

A shrug. “It’s hard to say. I’ve known Tranquil all my life and I barely understand them. I know Elsa to be determined, organized, and single-minded,” he crossed his arms. “If she did have something to do with this...Maker have mercy, she would have been through.”

**Author's Note:**

> TFW you run into one of your old coworkers and she’s suspected of mass murder and somehow connected to the giant hole in the sky.
> 
> As always if you like what you've read here, comment below and let me know!


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